


One Genius to Another

by Stonyinspirationwriter



Series: The Ava Stark-Rogers Series [7]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Concerned Tony, Domestic Fluff, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff, Growing Pains, Growing Up, M/M, Not Fitting In, Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Parent Steve Rogers, Parent Tony Stark, Parent-Child Relationship, Stony - Freeform, Superhusbands (Marvel), Tony and Ava bond, Tony is an awesome dad, concerned steve, original child character - Freeform, teenage genius
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-07
Updated: 2016-02-07
Packaged: 2018-05-18 17:24:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5936716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stonyinspirationwriter/pseuds/Stonyinspirationwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fourteen years old and about to begin college, Ava realizes just how much more difficult it is to fit in when you are a teenage genius. Having endured it himself, Tony gives her some advice.</p><p>Another addition to the series of shorts involving Tony Stark and Steve Rogers with a daughter. Will eventually lead up to a longer fic that follows Ava's transition into Iron Woman. Can be read in any order.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Genius to Another

**Author's Note:**

> Even without being a genius we all suffer through our own share of growing pains. I think everyone, especially girls, will find Ava extremely relatable.

“This is your fault", Ava declared without preamble.” 

Tony looked up from his tablet. His fourteen year old daughter was seated at the end of the couch, slouching into the cushions. Her dark curls were still damp from a shower, and she wore a light blue bathrobe over her pajamas. 

“What’s my fault now?” Tony asked matter-of-factly. 

 "You made me a genius", she accused, a petulant expression on her face. 

 Tony raised an eyebrow. “As opposed to being to being dumb? I’m sorry, for my next kid I’ll make sure that they inherit the ignoramus gene.“ 

 "That’s not what I meant”, she mumbled. 

“Then say what you mean.”

“I just don’t fit in anywhere.” Ava lowered her big brown eyes, her full lips pressed in a grim line as she crossed her arms and preceded to press herself further into the couch.

Any amusement that this conversation had started to pique completely vanished. There was something vaguely familar about it, and Tony was instantly filled with empathy. 

 Setting his reading glasses and tablet aside, he patted the space beside him. Ava slowly pushed herself forward, shuffling on her knees, head lagging behind a bit as she continued to lazily drag the side of her head against the couch. Once she was close enough Tony pulled her into his arms, her cheek pressed against his chest. He could smell the fruity fragrance of her shampoo on her damp hair.

“Talk to me”, Tony murmured.

“ I just don’t fit in anywhere– not with normal teenagers, not with adults, or Avenger kids.“ 

 "Nonsense. You have plenty of friends.“ 

 Ava sat up so she was looking Tony in the eye. “No, I don’t”, she said pointedly. “I don’t have cool powers.There’s absolutely nothing special about me.The Avengers feel obligated to tolerate my presence just because my dads are founding Avengers.”

 Tony furrowed his brow, taken aback that remark.“They’re your family, Ava. They’re also mine. I don’t have any cool powers, not every Avenger does. Where is this coming from all the sudden?“ 

 "Bad example”, Ava admitted, holding up a hand. “But as my family, they’re used to me, though. Daddy, I’m about to be a freshman in college and I don’t even know how to be a teenager. I try so hard to  be like other girls my age, but people can always see…”

“See what?”

“That there’s something wrong with me”, Ava finished, regarding him with a dubious expression, like this all should have already been apparent. “That I have all this knowledge", she continued, “and these thoughts just swirling around in my head that I couldn’t even begin to explain! And once again I’m gonna be that weird genius kid no one wants to talk to. Summer is halfway over and I haven’t gotten myself into any kinds of shenanigans!” 

This time when Tony motioned for her, she practically threw herself into his arms. “Okay”, Tony soothed, gently patting her back. “Deep breath in….now exhale. There we go. Better?” Ava nodded as she continued to audibly exhale and inhale. “Second of all”, Tony continued, “I forbid you from ever again using the word ‘shenanigans'–what’s up with that? Pops doesn’t even use that word. And other than using words like ‘shenanigans’, there is nothing wrong with you.“

 "What’s the point of being a genius, though”, Ava sniffed, “if it ostracizes you from the world?” Her voice cracked on the last word and Ava buried her face in his chest, right where the arc reactor was embedded, and began to sob. Her hot tears soaked through his shirt.

Even as he tried to make light of it, he felt extremely guilty and sympathetic. He remembered what it was like to grow up as a certified genius: The loneliness, the self loathing, the constant feelings of displacement. Hell, it was just the pains of growing up amped up a few nouches. As a coping mechanism he had learned to squash all of that with bravado. He had figured that since he was factually smarter than everyone else, why not flaunt it? Although he had developed an arrogance about his genius title, there was still many of times that, dispite his intellect, this unexplained feeling of inferiority existed within him.

Like hers, his brain worked faster than the average persons and that alone could be terribly exhausting. Before the discipline of martial arts and meditation, he used drugs and alcohol to find some semblance of peace.

Becoming Iron Man, changing his lifestyle, had for the most part helped in channeling that internal noise. Complete peace among his internal chaos, though, wasn’t something achievable until he had fallen in love with Steve. Steve’s presence somehow calmed the whirl wind of thoughts and knowlege, and Tony’s entire focus would be shifted to Steve. Steve quieted all the noise, allowing him to be the present father that he wished Howard could have been.

“From one genius to another”, Tony said, prompting Ava to sit up, “it’s not always easy being the smartest person in the room. And I did a lot of stupid stuff in my day to fit in. I was lucky that I had your Uncle Rhodey to watch my back. But fitting in, being deemed as normal, isnt what’s important.”

He moved the frizzy dark locks away from her face and tucked them behind her ear. “You are so much more than that”, he continued.

“You know exactly who you are, and even though you’d have every right to be a little nightmare, you don’t have one self indulgent bone in your body. Okay, so you were never picked first on the soccer team, or whatever. Big deal. There are plenty of people who love you, and love to be around you. And just maybe you’ll also find your own Rhodey to watch your back. Or your in your Pop’s case, your own Bucky. Better yet, your own Rhodeena or Binky.”

“Rhodeena?” Ava raised an eyebrow. “Binky??”

“No boys”, Tony clarified. Ava rolled her eyes. “Rhodey was no saint, either. And Barnes is….well, Barnes.” Ava laughed. “And you’re forgetting one thing, kiddo.”

“What?”

“You got me”, Tony said, lightly elbowing her side. “I’ll be your Rhodey. Whether you need to rant about the cruelty of the world or decompress that big brain of yours, I’m here.”

“That’s, Daddy”, Ava said fondly, giving him a kiss on his cheek.

“Now”, Tony said, putting back on his glasses and picking up his tablet. “Would you like to see some of the new designs I’m working on?”

“Yes!”

They huddled close as Tony explained each design while Ava listened carefully before following up with her own commentary.

*************************************** 

Tony stirred awake.

“It’s just me,” Steve whispered, carrying a sleeping Ava in his arms. He silently crept down the hall and carried her into her room.

At some point they fallen asleep together on the couch–the ache in his neck a penalty for it–he couldn’t remember when.

Tony grimanced and started to massage the throbbing knot in his neck. “I got it.” Steve worked his fingers into Tony’s muscles, loosening the muscles on his neck and shoulders until they turned to melted butter under his finger tips.

Warm lips brushed at the back of his neck. “How’s our girl?” Steve asked. “I overheard you talking.”

“Hmm?” Tony hummed; he had just started to drift back into the comfortable folds of sleep.

“Ava.”

Tony opened his eyes. “Oh. Yeah”, He yawned through the words. “She’s gonna be fine. It’s just–”

“Genius problems.” Steve finished. Tony rotated in his seat to face him.

“Spying?” Tony accused, narrowing his eyes at him. The expression on Steve’s face resembled the guilty expression of a child who has been caught doing something wrong. 

“I don’t spy”, Steve insisted. “I just– ”

“Overhear?” Tony mocked.

“Shut up.”

Tony smirked at his husband. “Yes. Genius problems. She’s a strong kid, though.”

Steve frowned. “I told you she was too young.”

“What else are we supposed to do, Steve? She was just too smart for that school. We’ve held her back all we can.”

“I know, I know”, Steve said tiredly. He let out a sigh. “I just hate the idea of my fifteen year daughter wandering around a college campus.”

“You and I both.” Tony ageed. “But don’t worry”, Tony lifted himself up from the couch. “I’ve made plans.”

“What sort of plans?” Steve suspiciously inquired. “Are you planning on filling me in?”

“All in due time, Dear. Come on, let’s go to bed. And can you do more of the massage thing?”

“And what would you like me to massage?”

Tony chuckled. “You’re naughty, Rogers.”

“Just how you like it.” Steve gave Tony’s ass a little tap as he passed by. “Come along, Genius.”

**Author's Note:**

> Has anyone ever felt like this? How do you feel about the way Tony handled it? 
> 
> Comment!


End file.
